Iranian American relations
What Every American Should Know About the Iran Nuclear Pact
What Every American Should Know About the Iran Nuclear Pact
Even though diplomats negotiated the Iran nuclear pact more than two years ago, it has made its way into media headlines in recent months. With some American politicians calling for an end to the nuclear agreement, U.S.-Iran relations are in jeopardy. Here are some things every American should know about the Iran nuclear agreement.
It Keeps Iran Non-Nuclear
Currently, nine countries have nuclear weapons. After a buildup of these bombs during the Cold War, many diplomats and other concerned citizens sought a reduction in their numbers. Generally, the approach of the international community has been to work to limit the number of countries that have a nuclear arsenal. Because nuclear watchdog groups and international authorities had evidence Iran was pursuing nuclear weapons, the Obama administration negotiated the Iran nuclear deal. In basic terms, the pact keeps Iran from developing a nuclear arsenal.
It Allows Iran to Enrich Uranium
To build a nuclear warhead, a country must be able to enrich uranium. When international investigators determined Iran had an enrichment program, Iranian-American relations became strained when American leaders sought to keep the country from developing a nuclear bomb. The nuclear agreement aims to boost Iran-U.S. relations by accomplishing objectives for both countries. While Iran is unable to build a nuclear warhead, it can continue to enrich uranium. This, of course, benefits Iran, as there are many legitimate, non-war reasons to enrich uranium.
It Demands Logistical Compliance
Much of the reason for the strain in U.S.-Iran relations before the nuclear agreement involved the lead time it would have taken for Iran to develop a nuclear weapon. By signing the pact, Iran lengthened the time it would take to create a nuclear warhead if its leaders ever chose to abandon the nuclear agreement. Simply put, the agreement puts the international community in a better place, since it makes it harder for Iran to build a nuclear warhead in the future.
It leaves Sanctions on the Table
American politicians have long contended that their discomfort is with the leaders of Iran instead of the people. Since sanctions typically hurt people, American diplomats wanted a humanitarian way to curtail Iran’s nuclear program. Since the agreement accomplishes these objectives, sanctions are not necessary. However, if the need for sanctions arises in the future, they are still available to the international community. By taking a wait-and-see approach to sanctions, the people of Iran don’t have to suffer for the political choices of their leaders.
It Allows for Inspections
With the nuclear deal, the International Atomic Energy Agency has the authority and ability to routinely inspect Iran’s nuclear facilities. For international diplomats, this is one of the most important facets of the nuclear agreement. Instead of potentially hiding improper nuclear activities, the Iranian government puts its efforts before the international community. If the country’s leaders were trying to enrich uranium for an illegal purpose, then, the world would quickly become aware.
Understanding Us Iran relations is critical when viewing the importance of the Iran nuclear agreement. While American politicians debate the fate of the pact, every American should understand certain things about it.